Trivets are well-known, and are widely used to protect surfaces from heat when it is required to rest a pan or other hot object on the surface. Trivets typically comprise a substantially horizontal support member for supporting the hot object. The support member is often made from cast iron, but can be any heat resistant material. The support member may be solid, but often it is apertured. The apertures reduce mass and material cost, both of which are particularly important considerations where the support member is made from cast iron. Legs may also be provided, for spacing the support member and consequently the hot object from the surface.
Conventional trivets are effective for supporting pans. However, it is also sometimes required to support pan lids, for example while a cook is stirring or inspecting the contents of the corresponding pan. Pan lids are inevitably wet, since steam will have condensed on the underside of the lid during cooking The pan lid should therefore ideally be placed upside-down in order to prevent moisture from damaging the surface, especially where the trivet is not solid. Placing the lid upside-down also keeps the surface clean of food residues and the like. However, placing the lid upside-down is difficult on a conventional trivet, or directly on a work surface, because the handle of a pan lid is on its upper side. It is therefore difficult or impossible to reach the handle from underneath a hot pan lid placed on a horizontal surface without burning oneself. A pan lid stored upside down on a surface may also be unstable, and may fall off a worktop.